Pages

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Book Review: The Peshwa — The Lion and the Stallion by Ram Sivasankaran

Title: The Peshwa — The Lion and the Stallion

Author: Ram Sivasankaran

Publisher: Westland

Review:

Having reviewed another book with a similar subject very
recently, choosing Ram Sivasankaran’s ‘The Peshwa — The Lion and the Stallion’
was more a result of customary satisfaction on my part than any desire born out
of curiosity. I was hoping for a similar treatment of the historical characters
with nothing new at offer. But was I wrong! Even though historical incidents
make for a constricted storytelling, it is ultimately the writer’s prowess that
sets apart his/her book. And Sivasankaran has done full justice with his debut
novel. There is a nice blend of fiction and history in this book that
promises a great reading experience.

The novel is set in the 18th century. Mughal Empire is on
its decline and the Maratha Confederacy has established itself as a force
to be reckoned with in the Indian Subcontinent. Nizam Ul Mulk of the Mughal
Empire, whose ambitions know no bound, wants to end the Maratha Confederacy by
eliminating their biggest warrior – the Peshwa Balaji Vishvanath Bhat. There
are enemies within the Maratha fold who would go to any lengths to fulfill
their desires – even attack the Chhatrapati.

After the demise of Balaji Vishvanath Bhat, the Peshwa’s
son, Bajirao Bhat, ascends the position of Peshwa and must utilise his
scant military and administrative experience to deal with the enemies facing
the empire.

What I liked best about the book was the timeframe chosen by
Sivasankaran. He has wisely picked up the story before Bajirao became the Peshwa
of the Maratha Confederacy and ended with the victory of his first war. This
particular span shows us the transformation that Bajirao Bhat underwent in
order to become the famous Maratha Peshwa who was rumoured to have never lost a
single battle in his carrier. He also comes across from being an adolescent who
was more lost than he dared to accept to becoming a surefooted and able
warrior. He’s a son, a husband, and a father. He’s yet to meet the love of his
life that would make him a subject of many a speculations of the incurable
romantics. He’s yet to be pared with Mastani.

Sivasankaran has kept the language of the book fluid. The descriptive
tools employed are vivid and powerful. Right from the glossy cover to the
elegant illustrations scattered throughout the pages in addition to a powerfully
written story of valor, love, and loyalty — the package as a whole makes quite
the impression. That a debut can be so successfully executed says enough about
the writer in the making.

Book Link:

About the Author:

Ram Sivasankaran was born in Madras, India, but has spent
most of his life abroad, largely in the Middle East and the United Stated of
America. He was brought up on stories from Hindu legend and the great epics and
classics of both India and the West. In addition to being a passionate student
of history in school, Ram has built a keen interest in stories of valour,
heroism, chivalry, beauty, and romance.

A daydreamer of sorts, Ram believes deeply in the power of
imagination---the mind being the canvas on which even the seemingly talentless
can create new universes, resurrect eras long gone, bring the gods to life and
even revive heroes and damsels of yore. Ram makes his debut with a historical
novel on one of the greatest and yet, to an extent, less known figure from
Indian history — Bajirao Bhat, Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy, mighty
warrior, hopeless romantic and one of the most dazzling examples of wartime
courage, military readership and battle strategy.

I'd like to thank the author for letting me review the book.
I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for
stopping by, and happy reading!

* I received a review copy
from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest review.